Earlier today a senior minister on national television today couldn’t bring himself to support Treasurer Joe Hockey’s controversial contentions on petrol taxes and the poor.

Education Minister Christopher Pyne said Mr Hockey had been standing up for low income earners.

But Mr Pyne declined six times to directly answer when asked if he backed the Treasurer’s claim fuel excise increases were “progressive” because the poor don’t own cars or don’t drive much.

It was seen as confirmation the Government has been deeply embarrassed by the Treasurer’s remarks with some back benchers making their concerns public.

Mr Pyne said he was “not going to cop criticism of Joe” but pulled up well short of agreeing with him.

“The simple fact is that this is the guy who has driven the abolition of the carbon tax, the cost of which fell heaviest on low-income households,’’ said Mr Pyne told the Nine network today.

“What he is talking about is the fuel excise changes, which are a 40 cents a week impost on households on average.”

Chummier times.Source:News Corp Australia

Shadow transport minister Anthony Albanese, appearing on the same program, later accused Mr Pyne of dodging the embarrassment of Mr Hockey’s comments “despite six opportunities to support what he said”.

On Wednesday Mr Hockey argued the Budget’s proposed, twice-yearly indexation of petrol excise was progressive — meaning it took more money from the well-off than the poor and lower income earners.

Higher income earners do spend more on petrol. However, petrol expenses are a greater slice of income for the less well-off who often have no alternatives to car transport, than for the wealthy. The excise is not progressive.

“What he (Mr Hockey) said was rubbish,” said Mr Albanese.

“If you are in an outer suburb or a regional community you have no choice but to drive and this is the guy who cut all funding for public transport in the budget.

“He should go to western Sydney today and have a look at people driving all the way in to the city, or all the way into their workplace in any capital city from the outer metropolitan areas, they spend a higher proportion of their income than high income earners.”

Also today, Tony Abbott said he “plainly” disagreed with Treasurer Joe Hockey’s comments on petrol taxes and the poor but said the Treasurer had his full support.

And the Prime Minister moved to reassure low income earners offended by Mr Hockey’s comments the Budget was aimed at funding services they in particular needed.

Mr Abbott flew back to Australia from Europe and the Gulf and into the fuel excise controversy.

Asked if he supported those remarks by Mr Hockey on Wednesday the Prime Minister said: “Well plainly I wouldn’t say that.”

“But I do want to make it clear,” he told reporters outside Canberra, “that the best thing we can do for all Australians — rich and poor alike — is get the Budget back under control.”

The Prime Minister said this would ensure funding for “services that every Australian needs but particularly low income earners”.

“That’s the challenge. And whatever people may think about the way Joe expressed himself in a particular radio interview, he has a plan to ensure that all Australians are better off in the long term,” he said.